Ms. Yousafzai stressed in her speech that it was “not my day” but
“the day of every woman, every boy and girl who have raised their voices
for their rights.”
“Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions
have been injured,” she said. “I am just one of them. So here I stand,
one girl among many. I speak not for myself but for those without
voice.”...READ MORE
"The legitimate anger felt
by many at the ongoing injustices suffered by the Palestinian people is
being
exploited by extremists to garner support for their own illegitimate
causes.
The moderates in the Arab world, in Israel, and in the Quartet, should
grasp
this opportunity to come together strongly behind the Arab Peace
Initiative -- and
be prepared to take some political risks in order to find a solution.
Furthermore, the U.S. government must show leadership and resolve to
reach a
mutually acceptable solution with all parties."
The
rejection by Egyptians of their Islamist government marks a turning point --
not only for that country, but for the entire Middle East. Over the course
of the past couple weeks, the Egyptian people have made a clear and powerful
statement that political Islam cannot and should not be allowed to suppress the
broader popular will for moderation and tolerance. Islamism, or any ideology
for that matter, is no replacement for competent and responsible
leadership. But let us not discount this momentous opportunity: the
second Egyptian revolution is a bellwether for moderates in the region who
should now seek to regain the initiative.
The
rejection by Egyptians of their Islamist government marks a turning point --
not only for that country, but for the entire Middle East. Over the course
of the past couple weeks, the Egyptian people have made a clear and powerful
statement that political Islam cannot and should not be allowed to suppress the
broader popular will for moderation and tolerance. Islamism, or any ideology
for that matter, is no replacement for competent and responsible
leadership. But let us not discount this momentous opportunity: the
second Egyptian revolution is a bellwether for moderates in the region who
should now seek to regain the initiative....READ MORE
Good editorial. I totally agree with your conclusion about the
dangerous divisions in the Arab world... and the importance of EVERY
ONE stepping up to unequivocally honor the principles embedded in
the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
Israel and Palestine should show the way with a negotiated
settlement to once and for all end the Israel-Palestine conflict
with the creation of two fully secular independent sovereign states
living side by side in peace and security.
A fair and just settlement based on international law, full respect
for universal basic human rights and the Arab Peace Initiative
would be a win win situation for the people of Israel and the people
of Palestine, as well as all their neighbors.
"
Regardless of what happens in Syria, leaders in neighboring
countries need to move quickly to reverse the sectarian slide. That
means stating unequivocally that they are committed to the equal
rights of all citizens and to ensuring that Shiites and other
minorities can practice their religions without fear. Such
principles are embedded in the United Nations Charter and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. More broadly, it will require
an acknowledgment that elections do not alone produce democracies;
that governments need to be inclusive; and that nurturing hatreds,
for whatever reason, inevitably backfires and makes stable societies
impossible." New
York Times Editorial: Dangerous Divisions in the Arab World
This Week in Palestine: Palestinian
Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad
"This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite
their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen
participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision
of establishing a functional framework where government is
accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most
effective way possible in decision-making and governance."
".... it being clearly understood that nothing
shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....
Palestinian
refugees must be given the option to exercise their
right of return (as well as receive compensation for
their losses arising from their dispossession and
displacement) though refugees may prefer other options
such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii)
resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even
though they originate from that part of Palestine which
became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal
status in the host country where they currently reside.
What is important is that individual refugees decide for
themselves which option they prefer – a decision must
not be imposed upon them.
UN Resolution
194 from 1948 : The
refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with
their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest
practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the
property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or
damage to property which, under principles of international law
or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or
authorities responsible.
"Where,
after all, do universal human rights begin? In small
places, close to home - so close and so small that
they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet
they are the world of the individual person; the
neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he
attends; the factory, farm, or office where he
works. Such are the places where every man, woman,
and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity,
equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these
rights have meaning there, they have little meaning
anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold
them close to home, we shall look in vain for
progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
Bernard d'Agesci (1757-1828), La justice, Holds scales in one hand and in the other hand a book with "Dieu, la
Loi, et le Roi" on one page and the Golden rule on the other page.
Selecting
Always
things can go either way... we
the people more often than not will
what will be
with our energy
and investments:
So break away from naysayers
and negative nasty connections
for they build delusions
full of wounds
and failure.
Cherish good
seek it out
find it where you are now-
willing better times to come
Be of those who welcome life
negotiated step by step
to be balance
to be walking forward
to be dancing along the way
with whim as goodness wins...
Be of the will that gets things done
Be of the way where the Golden Rule
illuminates
Be of the stars
guiding ships
where bridges can't reach
Miriam Awadallah:"After Assaf clinched the title of Arab Idol, my excitement was wild.
His victory has been described as finally giving the Palestinian people a
reason to celebrate, but his win is so much more than a good reason to
party. The Palestinian people have long craved an Assaf-esque figure to
provide them with a less antagonizing face to the world. The attractive
man singing his heart out on stage is a far cry from the masked,
camouflaged men the American public is used to seeing when presented
with images of Palestinians.
His career as a singer is considered to be a sin in the eyes of the
Islamists who are gaining momentum in the region. Hamas has not exactly
been his biggest fan; they recently attempted to censor him in Gaza, and
gave him a lukewarm reception upon his homecoming despite being a
Palestinian hero.
The Mufti of Nablus also issued a “Fatwa” against watching the same
show he was competing on. Assaf represents the broader modern, secular
trends of the Middle East, empowering the factions that are joining
hands and protesting in the streets of Egypt and elsewhere.
Palestinian youth now have a positive role model, who is empowering
them to show the world the beauty of their culture. With sectarian
violence raging on next door in Syria and Lebanon, Assaf , the
new “goodwill ambassador” of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
(UNRWA), can lead his millions of Arab fans to a path of tolerance,
coexistence and peace."
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Freedom of Worship illustration by Norman Rockwell
"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which…means economic
understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime
life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world..." President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941
The one state situation is what already is and has been for decades,
with a Jews-preferred Israel easily able to find more and more excuses
(and ways) to usurp more and more Palestinian land, liberty, and life.
Making a cruel situation even worse Islamists have been thriving on the
Israel-Palestine conflict, ensuring that Israel perceives Palestinians
as terrorist threats rather than as real people.
Noticing and hopefully strengthening reasonable voices is a good idea-
but only if those reasonable voices firmly respect universal basic human
rights and the rule of fair and just laws.
The goal must be a just and lasting peace: A fully secular two state
solution is the best way forward and for everyone's sake religion should
not be- and can not be- the determining factor as to who gets full
citizenship, freedom, respect, job opportunities, subsidies and security
in any sovereign nation state.
America survived the end of slavery- Israel can survive the end of its own institutionalized bigotry.
This Week in Palestine: Palestinian
Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad
"This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite
their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen
participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision
of establishing a functional framework where government is
accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most
effective way possible in decision-making and governance."
".... it being clearly understood that nothing
shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....
Palestinian
refugees must be given the option to exercise their
right of return (as well as receive compensation for
their losses arising from their dispossession and
displacement) though refugees may prefer other options
such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii)
resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even
though they originate from that part of Palestine which
became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal
status in the host country where they currently reside.
What is important is that individual refugees decide for
themselves which option they prefer – a decision must
not be imposed upon them.
UN Resolution
194 from 1948 : The
refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with
their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest
practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the
property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or
damage to property which, under principles of international law
or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or
authorities responsible.
"Where, after all, do
universal human rights begin? In small places, close to
home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on
any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the
individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the
school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office
where he works. Such are the places where every man,
woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity,
equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights
have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.
Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to
home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger
world." Eleanor Roosevelt
"East Jerusalemites [Palestinians]
barely make ends meet. East Jerusalem’s economy is so underdeveloped
that it even lags behind major cities of the West Bank, such as
Ramallah, Hebron, and Nablus. A large number of residents, estimated to
be as high as 85 percent, live in abject poverty. Despite facing
impossible conditions, however, most of us continue to persevere and
somehow keep both the grandeur and mystical nature of Jerusalem close to
our hearts. It is, after all, our home." Hiba Husseini This Week in Palestine: JerusalemThe Light, the Air, the Mystique, and the Universality – Lament and Verve (photo by George Azar)
RE Is The Arab-Israeli Conflict Really About Economics?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2013/06/26/is-the-arab-israeli-conflict-really-about-economics/
Dear Forbes,
I'd say YES- the Arab-Israeli conflict is very much about economics,
including the economics of charity as well as state funds (and taxpayers
money here and there) generously subsidizing Jewish citizens while the native
non-Jewish Palestinians have been (and continue to be) very much
oppressed and pushed into poverty as well as forced exile, fragmenting
families and communities for more than half a century.
UNWRA exists today because Israel refuses to respect the Palestinians
basic human rights, including but not limited to every refugee's
inalienable and universal right to return to original homes and lands.
The economics of Israel's home demolition polices and checkpoints all
through out the illegally occupied territories provide Israelis with
jobs while bankrupting Palestinians... Feeding on the Israel-Palestine
conflict and making a bad situation even worse AND obviously inspired by
Israel's current success as a religion based nation state, Islamists
seek to create an Islamic version of Israel to replace not only Israel
but all the countries in the Middle East.
Ending the Israel-Palestine conflict ASAP with a fully secular two state
solution that FULLY honors and empowers universal basic human rights and
the rule of fair and just laws to help curtail religious idiocy,
corruption and cruelty is the best way forward... for
everyone's sake.
This Week in Palestine: Palestinian
Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad
"This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite
their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen
participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision
of establishing a functional framework where government is
accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most
effective way possible in decision-making and governance."
".... it being clearly understood that nothing
shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....
Palestinian
refugees must be given the option to exercise their
right of return (as well as receive compensation for
their losses arising from their dispossession and
displacement) though refugees may prefer other options
such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii)
resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even
though they originate from that part of Palestine which
became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal
status in the host country where they currently reside.
What is important is that individual refugees decide for
themselves which option they prefer – a decision must
not be imposed upon them.
UN Resolution
194 from 1948 : The
refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with
their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest
practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the
property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or
damage to property which, under principles of international law
or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or
authorities responsible.
"Where, after all, do
universal human rights begin? In small places, close to
home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on
any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the
individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the
school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office
where he works. Such are the places where every man,
woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity,
equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights
have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.
Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to
home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger
world." Eleanor Roosevelt
[AS
ALWAYS
PLEASE GO TO THE LINK
TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN
FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and
conversations) THAT EMPOWER
DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE &
PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
"Assaf, with his good looks and easy smile, represents a publicity coup
for the Palestinian cause and makes ordinary Palestinians happy to show
the world, corny as it is, that Gaza is not just about rockets and
strife, but singing and dreaming."
Palestinian singer Mohammad Assaf holds a Palestinian flag after he won
the title of the television talent show “Arab Idol,” in Beirut, Lebanon.
(EPA/MBC PRESS OFFICE)
JERUSALEM — It was a most improbable story of a moonlighting wedding
singer from a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, who barged his
way into an audition and went on to win hearts across the Middle East —
and on Saturday night was declared the winner of the “Arab Idol”
singing contest.
He closed down his competitors by singing, in English, the Backstreet Boys hit “I Want It That Way.” Here’s the video:
http://youtu.be/zSgbAWnA4mw
Al Jazeera reported
that after Assaf won the Idol title he was named Youth Ambassador for
United Nation’s agency for Palestinian refugees, a goodwill ambassador
by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and handed a
diplomatic passport — READ MORE
Immediately after he was crowned, Mohammed Assaf was named UNRWA’s goodwill ambassador. (Al Arabiya)
Al Arabiya
Young Palestinian singer from Gaza Strip Mohammed Assaf was crowned
on Saturday the “Arab Idol,” a singing contest organized by the Middle
East Broadcasting Center (MBC).
Immediately after he was crowned,
the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees
(UNRWA) named him a goodwill ambassador for peace, while Palestinian
President Mohamoud Abbas offered him a position of “diplomatic
standing.”
Assaf, who came ahead of two other contestants,
Syria’s Farah Yousef and Egypt’s Ahmed Jamal, dedicated his award to the
Palestinian people.
The 23-year-old Gazan singer brought
together divided Palestinians in celebrations throughout the Palestinian
territories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The handsome,
tuxedo-clad Assaf won after weeks of anticipation from his army of
followers, who had been glued to big screens in cafes and restaurants
across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, listening as his powerful voice
propelled him through the competition every weekend, AFP reported.
His mother, wearing a traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, wept
as she wrapped the Palestinian black, green, white and red flag around
her shoulders.
In northern Lebanon, Palestinian refugees in the
Beddawi camp fired gunshots into the air and took to the streets,
honking their car horns to celebrate Assaf’s win.
Shortly afterwards, a spontaneous demonstration broke out in Beddawi to celebrate the occasion.
Born in Misrata, Libya, Assaf grew up in the overcrowded Khan Yunis
refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, one of the world’s poorest and most
densely-populated places where Israel severely restricts the movement of
people, goods and financial aid.
The Islamist Hamas movement,
which has controlled Gaza since 2007, disapproves of what it considers
un-Islamic shows, such as Arab Idol, but has not officially clamped down
on support for Arab Idol or Assaf, according to AFP.
Rocket of peace
In
a previous episode of the program, popular Lebanese singer and jury
member Ragheb Alama had described Assaf as “the best rocket” to have
come out of Gaza, and as “a rocket of peace, not war,” according to AFP.
Announcing Assaf’s nomination as regional ambassador for youth minutes
after his win, the agency’s chief Filippo Grandi said: “All Palestinians
share in his success. Mohammed’s music is a universal language and
speaks to all of us. How fantastic that a Palestine refugee from Gaza
should bring us all together in this way.”
(With AFP)
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TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN
FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and
conversations) THAT EMPOWER
DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE &
PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]
Veteran
PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the
Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the
top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention
of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member
insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be
waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day,
Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with
our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes
from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are
still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand
and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and
perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international
conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that
the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according
to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest
number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
Veteran
PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the
Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the
top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention
of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member
insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be
waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day,
Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with
our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes
from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are
still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand
and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and
perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international
conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that
the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according
to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest
number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
Veteran
PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the
Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the
top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention
of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member
insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be
waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day,
Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with
our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes
from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are
still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand
and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and
perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international
conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that
the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according
to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest
number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
Veteran
PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the
Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the
top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention
of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member
insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be
waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day,
Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with
our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes
from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are
still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand
and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and
perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international
conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that
the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according
to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest
number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
"This day
embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights,
particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were
forcibly displaced in 1948." - See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
"This day
embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights,
particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were
forcibly displaced in 1948." - See more at:
http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf
[AS
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FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and
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As I now return to
Palestine and Israel, I do so with increasing frustration that the
chance of a two-state solution risks being squandered.
Developments
on the ground speak for themselves. The illegal settlements are
expanding and displacing Palestinians who are forced to endure daily
harassment and blockades. Many people have to spend hours at checkpoints
on their way to school or work. Some are plagued by the fear of being
thrown out of house and home. In Gaza, almost total isolation continues.
Every year, the Palestinians' internal political divisions are
growing, as is the violence. And on the other side of the barbed wire,
the Israelis are living in growing insecurity and isolation, in a region
in a process of rapid change.
There is a risk that this
frustration will grow and that the world will turn its back on the
Israelis and Palestinians. We have a joint responsibility for, and
self-interest in, continuing to fight for peace in the Middle East.
Twenty years after the Oslo Accords there is still a chance to reach a
two-state solution. The United States is currently making significant
efforts to enable the parties to return to the negotiating table. The EU
is ready to support these negotiations.
The Arab League's peace
initiative has regained relevance. The initial position between the
parties is bleak, but the status quo is not an alternative. The Israelis
and the Palestinians must now seize what is perhaps the last
opportunity to create peace and security. Time is running out, and it is
not a day too early.
Despite continued occupation and a lack of
political progress, Palestinian state-building has advanced. The
international community shares the assessment of the International
Monetary Fund and the World Bank that the Palestinian institutions live
up to the demands that can be made of a functioning state. Today there
is a basis -- albeit a fragile one -- for a Palestinian state.
A
new strategy will soon be drafted for Sweden’s development cooperation
with our Palestinian partners. Sweden will continue to take its
responsibility. We will continue our commitment to the whole of the
Palestinian territories -- the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and
Gaza.
We will focus on contributing to Palestinian
state-building efforts. At the same time, we will take the lead in
combating the negative development in "Area C" of the West Bank, where
the Palestinian institutions are not allowed to operate and where the
settlements are displacing the local population.
Sweden's
development assistance should make a difference where it is most
urgently needed. The Palestinians have become the most aid-dependent
people in the world. Development assistance to Palestine is associated
with very major risks and the challenges are considerable.
Development
assistance requires political progress to yield long-term sustainable
results. The occupation and the expanding Israeli settlements are the
main obstacles to a two-state solution and also explain the aid
dependency. Freedom of movement for people and goods within and out of
the Palestinian territories must improve dramatically if the economy is
to take off and unemployment is to be reduced. This applies in
particular to Gaza, where Israel must do a great deal more. Its
isolation is morally reprehensible and politically counterproductive and
makes development assistance more expensive.
As for the
Palestinians, they must deepen their reform policies, combat all forms
of violence and fully respect human rights. The political divisions must
end and democratic elections must be held.
Sweden is also an
important donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East, having contributed approximately
$56 million last year. UNRWA has been in existence since 1949 and
currently supports five million refugees in the region. We will continue
to help alleviate suffering by financing homes, medical care and
education. But in the long run this is unsustainable, including from a
donor perspective.
In Israel in particular, there are many people
who claim that now is not the time to make peace with the Palestinians.
When the region is in flames, there is a danger of short-sightedness
taking over. And in a cruel twist of fate, the Syrian conflict is
forcing Palestinian refugees to move again. They have become the
refugees of refugees in the Middle East.
Growing regional
instability means that the window of opportunity for a two-state
solution is closing. But history will condemn those who do not see the
opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict before it is too late.
Israel must realize that
occupation is an unsustainable policy in the long run -- for its own
sake and for international, regional and economic reasons. Cooperating
with the Palestinians is where the opportunities lie -- not in
threatening the country’s democracy and security.
The
Palestinians must come together in a shared vision of democracy and use
peaceful means to achieve recognition from and coexistence with their
neighboring country Israel. And this must be followed up with resolute
leadership for a united Palestine – for and with all Palestinians.
Frustration
must not be allowed to prevail. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders
must seize this opportunity for peace and security now.
An Orthodox nun holds a candle during a procession along the Via
Dolorosa in Jerusalem's Old City. Photograph: Baz Ratner/REUTERS
A plan for making the Old City of Jerusalem
into an "inter-faith municipality" was suggested yesterday by the
Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Rev George Appleton, when he
spoke to the Council of Christians and Jews in London on "The cost of
peacemaking."
He reminded his audience, which included the Chief
Rabbi, the Rev Dr Immanuel Jakobovits, that the holy city was only a
small area, a little more than one kilometre square, with 26,000 people
living inside it. But millions revered it, were moved by it to remember
sacred events, and were often better people because of those thoughts...READ MORE
***
"Created with the approval of the United Nations, the existence of
Israel ought to be guaranteed by that body as long as Israel is amenable
to the actions of that body. The borders drawn at the time of partition
and affirmed by the United Nations in 1956 must be respected by Israeli
and Arab alike until and unless they are changed by procedures of
negotiation under the aegis of that body." Rev Harold Bosley, Senior Minister Christ Church, Methodist, New York, July 10, 1967: Letter in the New York Times Israeli Territorial Claims http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70B1FFA3A5E137A93C5A8178CD85F438685F9
,+La+justice,+muse%CC%81e+de+Niort..jpg)
Immediately after he was crowned, Mohammed Assaf was named UNRWA’s goodwill ambassador. (Al Arabiya)
